


Afterlove

by Sing



Category: Sleepy Hollow (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, I am having a good time, I apologize for nothing, I do not care which boundaries I break, I give no cares, Please Don't Hate Me, Romance, absolute tom foolery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-11
Packaged: 2018-07-29 15:25:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7689844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sing/pseuds/Sing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A man who lost his love.<br/>A woman denied love.<br/>And a man who's never loved before.</p><p>There's a first time, even a second time in some cases to find something, if you're willing to forgive yourself, to let yourself, you can always still find love. </p><p>Even after life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Sleepy Hollow (although who wants any legal part of that mess anymore beats me)

After, isn't so different, really. 

Then again, she supposes, that afters vary depending on where the soul leads, where it chooses to call home. This isn't Heaven, where they are, this is some other, in between place. Or else she's started her new life and hadn't noticed. It's not, Sleepy Hollow, though there are resemblances. And it's populated here, and everyone, everyone seems decently friendly. And bodies are bodies, no passing through walls or wailing ghosts. And food is food, there's seldom need but she can eat. And memories, are just that, whispers of a time by gone. 

A thing passed and done. 

This is a place of possibility. Give the life she's lead, she's thankful for that, to have this chance at whatever it is, to enjoy. Have things she never had before. Some of them so decadent it must be a sin of sorts. 

Ach,

Don't think of sin, Abbie, she chastises herself. Think of that blue sky above, and this shoulder on which you lean your head, and those lips that brush across your brow. These fingers stroking and toying with yours in his lap. Think of that, instead. 

Time is fast here. Don't ask her how long she has been here, only that one day, to be here with him made a bizarre terrifying sense. She feels his arm tighten around her, drawing closer and she looks up as his lips touch down on hers. 

oh, so, sweet. 

So gentle and sweet that taste like honey, like cinnamon and fruit, like everything. 

"Mills" his voice rumbles in her ear as he pulls away, and she begins to recline on the grass, him leaning over her, she smiles up at him, giggling as he trails kisses along her neck. "Stay still" he teases but she cant  help but squirm as he begins to unbutton her blouse, her fingers run through his hair, tousling it and he looks up at her with dancing twinkling eyes. "Someone's excited."

"Don't play with me," she breathes and gasps when he surges back upwards, nose to nose with her, his breath warm on her face. 

"I'll play with you if I like," he promises, running a finger around the waistband of her jeans. "As long, as I like," 

"Promise?"

"Oh  _Abbie"_ and his mouth descends on hers again, hungry, longing, and then he-----

* * *

You can sleep here though. And dream.

And fantasize. 

That's the only real danger of this place, dreams and fantasies, if you entertain them enough start coming true. Which isn't such a bad thing if it wouldn't conflict her so. 

She's been trying to curb these thoughts but they took root, quite accidentally, now they persist, and she worries at some point he's going to  _hear_ her thinking these things about him. And she has thought some very vivid things. 

So when Orion comes by with that borderline dangerous smile, and says her name with such commanding soft grace, she's very glad to give in to the temptation, to go on his idea of a date. 

Anything to keep her mind off the other man she has no business with. 

Flustered from her afternoon nap she takes a shower and takes care to get dressed, she puts on something white and ruffled, light, she finds her self thinking frivolously, that it might remind Orion of feathers, that he might like that. As she twists out her natural hair, taming stray curls, she dabs a berry on her lips---

this is the one place things like that work, fruits and herbs that actually last as makeup, and come off so much easier---

slips on some heels and begins to sashay down her driveway, checking the sky for her dates arrival when "ow ow, looking good Mills," Her heart gives the most un precedented embarrassing flutter. It wouldn't be so bad if she hadn't been dreaming about him moments ago. 

"Hey."

"Date tonight?"

"Yes with----" there's a roar and when Abbie looks up there's what looks like the spawn of if an Angel and a motorcycle mated, but it's bronze and silver, and winged, of course, with more feathers of the same. Orion swings off it dressed in dark attire. "You fly don't you?" she asks, perplexed why he bothered with transportation. 

"I do, but you're accompanying me." he bends low, kisses her hand and offers his arm. Abbie suddenly feels like she's dressed a little too angelic for what Orion might have planned for the evening. He leads her over to the bike, swinging himself on and Abbie clambers on behind him, fastening her arms around his waist. 

"Hey, you have her back at a decent hour alright?"

Orion grins. "Define, 'decent'"

"Hope you know what you're getting yourself into, Abbie," and he winks, waving as he goes about his business. Her neighbour. An unexpected menace to her sanity. 

_I don't but I know what trouble I'm staying out of._

"I'm a big girl Joe, don't worry about me." 

Orion kicks the bike into gear, and they soar into the sky. 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abbie's outing with Orion. 
> 
> How she came to her pesky daydreams about Joe.

A little place bordering the underworld. 

Not quite  _in_ it. Not quite far enough to safely say you are not standing tremendously close to the underworld. And it's a little warm here, too. It's not dinner and dancing, so much atmosphere gazing. 

She should be disconcerted by the fact that Hell has its own constellations, but they're looking down on them, from this vantage point. It's angry chaotic and sanity threatening in its beauty. 

You might think the dwelling of the rejected is a horrendous tormenting place---which it is, but until you've been residing there you cannot help but feel the draw, the allure, of forbidden. Of depravity. It's all  of the darkest desires of the world cornered here, some deeply disturbing, terrifying in all of their bloody violent raw impulses. Ungoverned, unbound. Writhing with promises and threats in equal measure. 

"It's different on the inside," Orion says casually beside her, where she leans precariously over the edge. "All of this, debauchery, is cold and empty and wholly disappointing if you dwell there. This is the cusp of things you want but shouldn't have."

She gazes down into an angry swirling eye of flame spouting up like a geyser and she reels away from the edge to the sound of Orion's soft laughter at her shoulder. "There are many things like that in the world Orion, do you mean there's a punishment for every guilty pleasure?"

His brows pinch, considering her words. "There are times, in which our deepest secrets are the truest desires of the heart. That is the trial. Knowing whether this dangerous thing you covet is really a chance at an almost criminal amount of  joy, or truly the work and will of the devil." 

"So murder,"

"A written sin. There are few ways around it."

"Robbery,"

"Negotiable in the eyes of the Almighty, but mortal laws are not always God's laws."

"Lust." she asks, thinking more of her own troublesome thoughts than considering the man at her side, though she feels his shift in proximity. 

"To mate, Abigail, is an express decree of the Lord. It is nature for man to want, to seek pleasure, to ache to, deliver it." His eyes kindle with molten gold, fingertips, tentatively creeping toward her own.

"But what if....." _they off limits, or taken_ , there's a foggy reminder of passing too many lingering gazes on Crane while his wife was in the room. _Or used to date your sister._

"This place, Abigail, is merely the veil of temptation, that which lies between yes, these questionable wants, and those that are the foundation of destruction and wickedness. At all times, humans tread along this edge, and veer away, enhanced, unscathed, in some ways better. There is a little light in all darkness, a little darkness in all night."

"But there are those who go too far."

"The contagion of true evil will lure one beyond the edge to plummet below. Where your murderers and thieves and sorcerers lie." 

"Why did you bring me here, of all places Orion?"

"There is the threat of chaos and destruction here. The danger of going too far." he reaches to grasp her chin, turning her toward him. "Since I laid eyes on you, Abigail, I have felt I have been engaged in the most furious battle with myself. It has never been my nature to be so, intrigued, by mortals. Nor to see a beauty transcendent of the human race. The sunshine beneath your skin." he says with frank honesty, his eyes dancing, peering deeply into her. "Since laying eyes on you, I have felt close to this precipice. That I might let something bloom within me, of which I'd have no control." 

His words create a heat washing over her skin so strong she's not sure she won't faint, tumbling down head first into the unforgiving flaming depths, not so far away. As if sensing her unease, his hands grip her arms, hauling her to her feet and walking a few paces away. 

"I had no wish to alarm you. But you have weighed on my mind since we first met. And I have tried to give you time since you left behind that life. I do not pretend to wholly understand what change you inspire in me. But I desire, Abigail. I desire you."

"This is going too fast for me," she blusters, laughing and fanning herself. 

"I have all the time in the world," he persists. "You have no witness to prove loyalty to now, allow me Abigail to be near you. To explore."

" _Explore me?_ "

"All the hills, valleys, planes, cliffs and rivers of you. Your mind, your soul."

"I'm not an exhibit. You don't  take a turn on me and then write a report about it."

Orion gives her a smile that seems almost shy. " A song, dearest Abigail. I would compose a song, a hymn of thanks to my Lord for creating you."

Abbie can't help that she flushes at his words. "I'm, flattered." 

He offers his hand and she takes it as they move toward his bike. He calls over his shoulder as he starts it up. "You know they lead all Angels there? as a sort of divining rod. If they abstain from it entirely determines them to be of higher rank. If they become fearful they are to be the Holy Chorus."

"Too close?"

"They have chosen their other side. It is no accident some agents of Hell have wings."

"And what if they aren't troubled by it?"

"Warriors, like me. Warriors are those who have seen the best and worst and between of the world. It tempers their judgement. That may be part of my calling to you, a similarity of spirit."

"That all?"

"Would you like to hear the first verse of the song now?" he jokes. "I could start at this very moment." Her laughter trills through the air as they fly up and away.

* * *

 

The strange bonding tradition of this is not quite Heaven not quite Earth place, is completely to blame for her mixed up feelings concerning Joe. 

At the end of the first week---which in a place where time isn't always predictable makes it a particularly unpleasant assault--- they relay the lives of all newcomers for the inhabitants to see, view, absorb and feel. 

It is one of the facets that breeds understanding and kindness. Creates a sort of frightening transparency among them. 

The lives unfurl in the sky, like a giant movie screen, and the ups downs, joys and sorrows flash across, with the names of to whom these memories and pains belong, settling into their minds, like an introduction of their new neighbours. 

It makes them all laugh and weep, opens up their hearts to console and welcome----she can't fault them the results of the practice, but the method itself still jars her. It is strange to be introduced to the woman who likes to feed the birds at the park through her entire life story. To have such intimate details imparted before they have shaken hands. 

But it is this event, a Viewing, as they call it, that broke down barriers rather frighteningly quick between herself and Joe. Both of their lives were up to play that night. 

Oh, feeling his struggle with the beast and his relationship with his estranged father, oh how it crushed her, saddened her, and the joy he had when he thought the wendigo vanquished only to be reverted again and again, but the light moments were there, too, his sparring with Jenny, the induction into their family, their monster fighting unit. 

Inspired some rather close bonds, rapidly, as she wound her arms around him, in comfort, only, in feeling the pains of his losses and brief triumphs. And the citizens had crowded around embracing and being there for him. 

But it was hers. 

 _Her_ life. 

"Oh Abbie," he'd said, tears in his eyes as he hugged her back. "He still never said anything?" he'd cursed. And "Oh, Mills." again, he seemed to keep saying that, for every hardship and sacrifice, every previously well hidden besotted look she had shot at Crane there for all to see, every moment she'd felt slighted, every man Crane had attempted to scare off. "Oh come on you never went on a proper date? He blocked you on everything---He wasn't fair to you at all. I thought better of Crane." he'd clenched a fist as he said so, then leaned her head on his shoulder. And the final moment played, and he was caught up in her own emotions washing over them all. When Betsy would say the words she was too drained to hear. When Pandora beckoned for Abbie to give herself. When Crane was able to muster nothing. Even, 

 _Even_  

When she'd gone back to say goodbye. The thin words, the chaste kiss to her hand. And still nothing from the heart. The shallowness of this parting had incensed Joe even more. 

"He was supposed to  love you." he'd said fiercely. "That wouldn't have been so hard for him to do Abbie, Crane should have  _loved you_."

Shaken anew then watching it all play out she had shaken her head, trying to pass it off, but she'd started crying instead, along with everyone else who was watching and feeling how robbed she had been. There were murmured words of agreement.

"I _spoke_ to him about it." he'd said. "And he still bailed out on you. It's so wrong, Abbie, he was supposed to hold you, and, kiss you, cherish you,  _love **you**_."

Some incoherent waterlogged babble that she attempted here before Joe had spoken over her. "Don't make excuses for him. He wronged you. I would never have done that, I could never have done that. Let you just walk into that box and never once saying how much I cared? Ah Mills." and somehow he'd just managed to keep holding her tighter and tighter. "I'm sorry he didn't love you Abbie. Not like he should have, not like you deserved. You forget about him, alright? you are worth so much more and you are worth being loved, fully, deeply, and.....treasured! He just..... _I_ wouldn't have let you go. I'm sorry." and he'd kissed her forehead, multiple times, becoming feverish with his anger at Crane's ineptitude, some sort of frenzy took over him.

Whether he thought he was doing her a favour or somehow correcting Crane's wrongs, who can know---but it would be understood in the towns common memory as the night of the Passionate Viewing. 

Suddenly everyone was being, very tender, with one another. Kissing couples, and fierce embraces and mutterings of beauty and love and how valued the other was. 

Crane's inability to care for her properly had made them all ferocious in ensuring their peers felt loved and wanted. Made them want to express it. 

And it took over Joe.

And then he was kissing her. 

Sweetly. 

Gently. 

Carefully. 

"Like this, Abbie." he whispered between kisses. "Damn Crane should have done this." another grazing of his lips on hers and he'd pulled away, thumbing her cheek sadly, eyes downcast. "You deserved better." and with one more embrace, the fever broken, Joe had strolled away. 

But Abbie had since been plagued with this memory, and the most unwanted fluttering in her stomach when she saw him.

Wondering what else he would have done better than Crane.

* * *

 Dawn, of the following morning, as it happens is  _not_ a decent hour. Joe, mowing doing yard work, shirtless, is quick to point out as they land. He makes a show of glaring at Orion and then checking over Abbie to make sure she's alright before cracking a smile. 

"Had fun?"

"None of your business," 

He looks to the Angel. "You used protection, right?"

"Joe!"

"I mean I can only imagine, you  _had fun_ getting back at this hour" he continues jovially. 

Orion bristles. "Abigail and I were gazing upon the underworld, and then we took a tour of the heavens."

"Just star gazing and good conversation." Abbie is quick to add. 

Joe throws his hands in the air. "No need to get defensive you two. Glad you enjoyed yourselves." he turns back to his chores, chuckling and Orion steps toward her for his parting. A deeply swept bow, a kiss to her hand, clasping it a few moments before releasing her and then his departure. 

Abbie watches the Angel leave as Joe saunters up her driveway. "Tell me he's got more going for him than manners." 

"He's very....interesting." Abbie quips, tearing her gaze away from Joe's physique.

"Because the last interesting well mannered man that turned up in your life broke your heart." He warns seriously. "I'll be _damned_ if I watch that happen again." 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lil something from Joe's perspective

The Viewing had changed everything. 

He was so, irritated, so mad, so astonished with Crane---he'd looked down at Abbie with her bright eyes and glowing skin and soft lips and had thought  _what on **earth** was wrong with Crane? _

_How could he not have wanted to kiss her? to make her smile?_

_She's so smart, ambitious, funny, and she's beautiful, and strong, heartfelt? how could he not?_

And then he kissed her himself because he was suddenly overwhelmed with the absolute absurd injustice of it, that Abbie should have been denied true deep appreciation. He felt as though he needed to show her, that yes, she would have been well within her rights to demand more from Crane, that she deserved better, was more than entitled to being loved and desired.

And believe it or not he just failed to factor in that kissing her might have made him feel something himself. 

He hadn't thought through thinking her lips were soft and sweet, hadn't counted on the sneaky urge to part her lips with his own, _just a taste_ some part of his mind had hissed but he'd pulled away before that got too far. 

He would blame it on the strength of her memory. 

Of the impact on the whole town of viewing a chance at love so perfectly disastrously squandered. 

But the memory of kissing her, lingered. Naggingly so. 

Took set on him out of the blue, it was becoming nothing short of a miracle that he managed not to blush around her these days. 

He'd been having a very vivid day dream of  them in her backyard just the day previously and he'd had to get out of the house for fresh air.Cool off.  Which of course was when he noticed her leaving in her white dress for a date. 

Relief, or that's what he'll call the queasy feeling that had settled in his stomach when the Angel arrived. He's relieved, because these, ideas, he's having about Abbie are completely out of bounds, she'd slug him if she knew. He's very lucky she didn't lay him out night of the Viewing. 

And Orion seems smitten, in a more open and blatant way than Crane had been. At least they were already on a  _date_. 

He tells himself as he watches them lift into the sky, that it's a good thing. That he had no business, whatsoever almost asking Abbie out.

It was just left over, feelings, from the Viewing, that's all, something that got into his head. That he's not a little irritated that they got back in the morning. 

That's he sincerely happy that she seems to have enjoyed herself. 

* * *

 

"You don't have to worry about me I can handle myself," she smiles, digging in her bag for her keys. 

"You'll forgive me given your track record" he teases and she shoots him a playful glare. And then averts her eyes. _Why oh why doesn't he wear a shirt?_

"Now is not the time for you to start getting all big brother on me," she chides, making a triumphant sound when her hands enclose around the key chain. 

"Why, because you have a year or two on me?"

 _No because I have indecent thoughts about you. And it's even creepier if you start acting brotherly._ "I babysat for you," she replies instead. "The _idea_ of you watching out for _me_ ," she laughs, shaking her head. 

"Well I would and I do," 

Abbie pauses at the door to glance over her shoulder at him. There's something in his eyes, in his voice, that sounds a bit, off. More serious, somehow. "Thanks Joe." she bobs her head. "I, I appreciate it." 

"What are you doing later?" And then his eyes grow wide as saucers. That was the definition of what he said he _wasn't_ going to do. 

"After I nap? I don't know if you've noticed but I've been carousing with an Angel all night. I'm  _beat_."

He chuckles and rubs the back of his neck. "When you wake up then, let's grab a beer, say, and you call tell me all about your heavenly date." 

The idea of alcohol and Joe sounds like a bad idea, in the far dark corner of her mind. Especially given the fact that she keeps raking her eyes over his shirtless form. It's very disconcerting. Especially given the fact, she has the insane notion that he's been giving her the once over too. But then she says, "Yeah why not. I'll bore you tell you all about the fine differences of absolute sin and temptation." Why she chose to expound on that is beyond her. 

Joe quirks  a brow. "Sounds,  _fascinating_ " and he's putting on, she knows it, but there's something about the momentary flicker in his eye. 

Just a hair more than playful. 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

_It's not a date_ She says to herself. So it doesn't mean anything and it won't matter if she just  _feels_ like wearing that skimming slip dress with the strappy sandals, it's hot out. It's a Sunday evening.  _Not a date sort of night_. 

 _This isn't a date_ He thinks to himself. So he can wear his favourite slate blue shirt and his nice shoes, and spray on cologne, cause he feels like it. Just, two friends, going out to, catch up. 

As Joe meets Abbie at the end of her driveway however, he has one singular confounding thought.  _Then why is she wearing a dress with straps I could ease off her shoulders, and shows off her curves and what the hell is someone as short as Abbie Mills DOING with such long legs?_

 _Why couldn't he have worn a turtleneck_ she curses to herself.  _And sweat pants, maybe. And sneakers._ Never mind he'd probably roast to death at least he wouldn't look so, handsome. 

She skipped makeup, though, so there's that, and her hair is tied up messily. So that should count for something on the casual scale. 

"Wow," Joe says before he can stop himself, eyes raking over her.  _Not casual **enough** , though._ And Abbie should not be so pleased that he can't seem to take his eyes off of her. "You look," he blinks dazedly before correcting himself. "You  _are_ beautiful Abbie." and he gives her a smile that confuses her. As if he harbours some sort of regret for the realization. Something uncertain as his eyes slide away, avoiding hers. 

_There's something wrong with you Joe. This is Abbie, Abbie Mills, you've known her forever and----you haven't stopped fantasizing about kissing her since that night---that. Exactly. And....it's....it's_

_Exciting_

_Nerve wracking._

_God I don't even know if this is real._  

Abbie exclaims as Joe slaps himself, hard. 

"A bug," he explains, wincing.  _Very very real_. 

"Well I think you missed it," She jokes, peeling his hand away to examine his cheek. "Not a single crushed wing. Bad aim and you nearly concussed yourself," 

_And now you're clumsy._

_Good work Joe. Good work._

* * *

They drank, two each. 

Started off with reminiscing, as far back as they could tax themselves to remember. Memories here are hazy thick and faraway, like wading through syrup. So it's with a gasp and laugh when they are able to reel in a thought, colourful sharp bright. The time he asked her to forge his father's signature on a test he did poorly on. The time he shared  valentines chocolates from admirers at school with her.

No one gave the Mills girls Valentines. 

Their past and story were too strange for kindness. 

Too strange for love. 

He'd given her a card. "Be Mine." She'd half laughed at him, tucking it in her back pocket.

"Thanks." 

 

Before he left for the military, angry and confused with dad, it had been Abbie who'd taught him how to dance for prom. 

At this point in time, Jenny was giving hell at her last foster home and refusing to communicate with Abbie. She should have been going to a prom like Joe, then.

Neither one of them knew what she had gotten up to that night instead. He never did ask.

So it had been Abbie, grumping in her sweat shirt, groggy from studying whatever book his dad had thrown at her showing him how to hold his arms and gently threatening him with a black eye if his hands slipped lower than where she laid them. 

He'd had two girlfriends, neither of them during dance season, so he'd been clueless. Stepped on Abbie's feet half the night. He'd felt bad because she was so much shorter than him, already, and her feet looked so small, and his large and dwarfing and awkward and clumsy and he was sure he'd broken her foot by end of the night. 

"Sorry," he'd muttered, in between thanks for the lesson. She'd looked over at him, smiled, genuinely smiled though she was putting her weight on one foot more than the other.

"S'alright Joe. You're a natural." and she'd winked, laughing to herself as she left him. 

He'd had the fleeting notion then to ask her to go with him. 

"You're kidding" Abbie smacks his arm playfully, draining her drink.

"Seriously, I thought, I can't unleash these two left feet on some poor unsuspecting girl"

"So you thought mine would do just fine?"

"I figured you'd already know how horrible I was and would know how to counter attack."

Abbie laughs so hard tears leak out her eyes. "Oh my God," she gasps. "I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard."

"And my date wasn't a good dancer either," Joe continues, taking another swig. "My feet, were  _bruised_. You ever been stepped on in stiletttos?"

"You never said anything!"

"I knew you'd laugh!"

"While I bandaged it." she snickers, reaching for her glass again and momentarily deflated to find it empty. 

"I still have a scar."

"Oh no."

"I do, I'll show you."

Abbie waits expectantly. 

"Oh."

"Well you offered," she shrugs, shoulders shaking with laughter as Joe slips off his shoe and angles his foot into the dim light, checking overhead for a beam and there--- "ooh," Abbie cringes. There is, there in his foot, after all this time a still rather stubborn red square planted in the middle of his foot. "You never told Corbin?"

"Oh I did."

"You both kept that from me?"

"Relentless teasing, remember?" he nods to her glass. "You want another?"

She'd better not. 

Abbie considers a moment. What the hell. "Yeah, go ahead."

But she does anyway. 

He calls for one for himself too and then they're finally on the topic of her date with Orion. "Sounds like he likes you. Really, likes you Abbie, like, proper." He looks at her pointedly and Abbie can practically hear him thinking.  _Not like Crane._  

"I....I don't know, he's.....very, very different to what I'm used to."

"But he's willing, and that's worth something Abbie. He took you to that place because he considers it dangerous to have feelings but he's all for going with it. Taking risks. _And you're worth that Abbie you're worth taking risks."_   his tone suddenly turned heated Abbie feels her skin flush. Remembering himself he pulls back. "Just, sometimes you can only have a good thing......if you.....let go." 

Swallowing Abbie ponders his words as the song changes. Her head snaps up. She likes this one. "Dance with me." she says, rising from the table, looking over her shoulder waiting for him to follow. Joe splutters. 

"Come again?"

"Come on Corbin, show me you're a better dancer after all these years!" she teases, dancing away and out of sight as she moves further into the crowd. 

Knocking back the final drops he begins weaving among the bodies, and it seems that somehow, impossibly, the amount of patrons have multiplied. Heads of hair swinging, voices singing, laughing, hands clapping, arms weaving, bodies gyrating, moving, slinking. He thinks its darker suddenly too. Where on earth has she---a stranger has backed into him. 

Curly hair now tumbling down her back, body swaying beneath silky fabric and turns swiftly and-- "There you are!" Abbie yells over the music. She continues dancing without a care in the world, without an inhibition to be had he vaguely wonders if she's actually trying to making him uncomfortable, just to taunt him later. 

He backs away a bit but Abbie follows, reaching for one of his hands and tugging him closer behind her. Now painfully, dangerously close to her swaying backside, hand skimming and feeling the ripple and roll of her waist. "Well somethings never change do they Corbin? you're still a horrible dancer!" 

"No I'm just warming up!" he shouts back, shaking his head free and giving into instinct, following her rhythm and loosening up so when he steps away, grabs her hand, twirls her around so she's facing him, he's pleased with momentary look of surprise on her face. He raises a brow. "Not bad eh?"

Her eyes lock with his for  before she smiles. "Well come on then, show me what you got."

* * *

Twirling and laughing and close. 

Skimming hands and panted breaths and thumping bass. 

Sweat and quick feet. 

Adrenaline.

Daring fleeting thoughts.

And closer than wise. 

Chest, hips, thighs. 

 

And staggering, inebriated, weary from the dance floor.

* * *

 "Wow. look at that sky," he murmurs as they walk home. She took her  shoes off a while back, padding carefully across the grass of her lawn. She tilts her head up and inhales at the glittering brightly lit sky, scattered with blinking little jewels. It's clear and gorgeous, breathtaking and oddly hopeful. 

"I don't think ever enjoyed the sky as much as I should have, back then," she sighs, dropping his hand as she approaches the porch and sitting down on the step, stretching out her legs she crosses her ankles. Joe joins her, shoulder brushing against hers. 

"You didn't do a lot of things you should have. You've always had too much on your shoulders Mills. Held your self back from some things. Didn't....get involved enough." 

"Hey I had my career, repaired things with Jenny."

Joe nods. "Witness duty, impressive, worthwhile, relevant." he presses. "But you didn't enjoy yourself, much. There never seemed to ever really be time, for you." 

"I was very fulfilled Joe, I don't know---"

"Simple, things. Basic, really fundamental, easy care free, things. That's what I mean." he smiles sadly before turning his face back up to the sky. " I hope you take more time to enjoy those things now."

"You hinting at Orion?"

"You, Abbie, I'm hinting at  _you. Jeez_ " his eyes crinkle. "I mean You, on your own terms, I hope you've been, happy, enjoying things, exploring your options. Having everything you wanted but didn't." He takes her hand in his, eyes never leaving the sky. "That's all I mean."

"Joe." she starts, licking her lips. "Joe, about the Viewing,"

He closes his eyes and swears in his brain. Here it comes, explaining himself. "I was out of line---"

"Thank you."

His eyes blink open and he turns to her, "Abbie?"

"For, wanting so much more for me. That night and tonight. For holding me." she shifts, angling her body towards his. "For....." she trails off, seriously second guessing how far she wants to go down this particular line of conversation.

"For.....what...." he asks, voice sounding far away and little confused even to his own ears. Reality seems more foggy all of a sudden, he begins to wonder if he's somehow fallen asleep with eyes open and shifted into a daydream. 

Taking a deep breath Abbie meets his eyes again and gives a shy laugh, tossing her hair back. "Kissing me. Thank you, for kissing me Joe. For trying to show me, that I deserve care. To be....I keep thinking about it." she confesses and Joe's eyes widen. 

 _you're getting weird Mills, stop it._ But she decides to soldier on. Maybe with it out in the open things can get awkward and then get back to normal sooner. But she doesn't plan on telling him,  _everything_. Which of course, then minute she gets going, that's precisely what happens. 

* * *

"I keep thinking about kissing you." 

Joe blinks, heart running laps inside of him. 

"I tried to stop. I just," she laughs helplessly. "I know you just meant to help, Joe, but I can't shake these images I have,"

"Of me kissing you," he repeats quietly. He turns towards her, eyes sweeping over her open face. "I think about it." he says. " _Often_ " 

* * *

 

She must be hearing things. No, imaging them. 

Because one moment she was telling him about her irksome thoughts and the next he was saying he has the same issue. That it keeps happening. That he remembers her lips. That he actually really, really, enjoyed dancing so closely to her tonight. That he's scared he's making something up in his head and then she's asking him to do something preposterous.

"Joe, Joe joe Joe," she calls, trying to make him stop talking, trying to get him to settle down, grabbing his hands, puts one to his cheek and staring into his eyes. 

"I'm very confused." he says. 

"Me too."

His eyes beg for an answer, some sort of conclusion. She has none. 

No logic. No explanations.

Just an impulse.

Just a desire that flared up the minute he started admitting to the same fantasies. She draws closer to him and he watches her, his eyes drinking her in and she feels more bold. "Kiss---"

* * *

_Her_

Abbie's words a puff of air before his lips meet hers. 

 _Kiss her_. 

He winds a hand in her hair, tilting her head back just slightly, and her lips part and  _yes_ he almost moans as his tongue dips inside. 

But he is slow. Curious and slow, as he explores and deepens the kiss. Pulling her closer, feeling her arms snake around him. 

A break only for air, only to kiss her cheek, to glide his lips on her neck, to feel her shiver before he returns to her mouth. Plump soft lips moving beneath his own. 

* * *

She pushes back to gain some control and he lets her. Letting her raise herself up and sliding over, just so her behind is resting gently on his leg before his hand wraps around her legs, pulling them up and over his own, shifting her so she is sitting on his lap and one hand is running, slowly, gently along her thigh. Up a little bit, his fingertips tickled by the lace edged hem of her dress.

It's not a haze and there's no reason for this more than they want it. Nothing more than it feels good, welcome. 

Alive, alight. 

He draws away and she holds his face between her hands, pressing their foreheads together. "Okay," she pants. "Okay."

"Right." he swallows. "Damn."

She begins to chuckle and soon a smile spreads across his face. "I think we got a little carried away," 

"It's....it's late."

"We drank a lot." she says lamely, scooting off his lap, but still laughing robustly. "I mean, imagine!"

"Imagine!" he joins in, but something within him wilts. 

"But at least we have that, out of our system now, right? We....we don't have to daydream about it anymore. We can, let it go!" she thrills and knows even to her own ears she sounds fake. Why is she doing this yet again? Pulling away? 

Because old habits are hard to break. But Joe spies a pattern, and in that split second, he sees how closely he comes to being the type of man who denied and withholds and lets Abbie run, the way Crane had. 

He grabs her wrist as she starts heading up the steps. "Hey---"

He crushes her against the front door, lips on hers, kissing her with very deliberate intent. Abbie can't decide whether to squeal or moan as she feels him pressing into her. She's not supposed to  _know_ things like this about Joe. She's just----

Absolute distraction when he begins kissing her neck, slipping a strap off her shoulder. Her fingers curl in his hair and then it's his lips on her again and she's fumbling, desperately trying to open the door but he grabs her fidgeting hand and pulls back. 

"I'm not going to pretend this makes sense. I'm not even going to pretend its right. And you don't owe me anything. But I know what I felt before, just then, right now." he emphasizes. " I'm not letting you run away from me because it's easy."

"Orion" she manages feebly, feeling sweat trickle down her spine. 

"Date him too."

She gapes at him. "What?"

He grins at her. "I'm not into sharing Abbie. But I know this is weird, if not bonafide insane. But why shouldn't you have two men fighting over you? Why shouldn't you have options? And Enjoy exploring them?"

"Fighting over me?"

He presses her hand over his heart. "I wanna figure out what else there is, if anything. Take a risk. Take a leap. And I'll go head to head with that Angel if it means you get a chance to really figure out who's going to be best for you."

Abbie shakes her head. "I don't know Joe, this is---"

"Messy as hell!" he laughs. "But who's here to judge us? to answer to? huh? It's just me and you. That kiss wasn't about to  _stop me thinking about you._ " His lips touch hers again softly. "It's made it undeniably much  _worse_. I _need_ to know now, Abbie. Give yourself a chance. To choose. Have what you deserve, what you've never had." 

She tries to form an answer but he's standing too close and she's too warm. "Okay. Yes. Sure." she stammers, fanning herself as he backs away, heart galloping wildly as he turns his blue eyes on hers and winks, blows her a kiss, and skips down her steps, down her driveway, looking back at her periodically, grinning, waving, and then Abbie lets herself in the house. 

Collapses in the hall. 

What the hell did she just agree to? 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well.
> 
> That escalated quickly. 
> 
> Oh Well! ^.^


End file.
